Have You Heard About the Adorable Toy Australian Shepherd?
Last Updated on April 21, 2022
Toy Australian Shepherd are intelligent and energetic much like standard size Australian Shepherds, with the added benefit of being in an incredibly cute smaller version!
Toy Australian Shepherd, sometimes referred to as Toy Aussies, are a recent addition to the Australian Shepherd breed. Toy Aussies see their roots in the Mini and Standard Australian Shepherds and have started to become more standardised within the last 30 years. It is believed this breed was achieved by breeding the smallest of the Miniature and Standard Australian Shepherds to attain a consistently small size dog.
Toy Australian Shepherd are not yet recognised by the larger breed registries, including the American Kennel Club (AKC), but are recognised by some of the smaller breed registries.
Similar to Standard size Australian Shepherds, Toy Aussies have strong herding instincts, are very intelligent, and have a lot of endurance. The most common difference is the size – Toy Australian Shepherd are no taller than 12″ at the shoulder. This makes them sturdy little dogs.
Based on their general size, intelligence, and endurance, we anticipate this breed will excel in agility and search and rescue training where their small size enables them to get into smaller spaces safely.
Coats & Colours of Toy Australian Shepherds
Toy Australian Shepherds have medium-length coats. They are dual-coated, meaning they have an under-coat and a top-coat. This helps provide them protection during inclement weather, which reaches back to the breed’s herding origins.
Toy Aussies can come in red merle, red, black, or blue merle and can have white or tan markings.
Size of Toy Australian Shepherds
As this breed is not officially recognised by large breed registries, the breed standard is currently created by breeders.
Toy Australian Shepherds ideally should be no taller than 12″ at the shoulder but can range between 10-14″ tall and weigh between 12-17 pounds.
Just as with a Standard size Australian Shepherd, it is important to provide this breed with lots of exercise to keep them in shape and mentally engaged. This breed of Australian Shepherds love playing games, chasing a Frisbee, or practicing new skills.
Grooming & Care
This breed of Australian Shepherd have dual-coats which means they will shed and do require frequent brushing. You’ll likely notice increased shedding during the Fall and Spring months. These periods will require you to brush your Toy Australian Shepherd multiple times a week.
Bathing can be done as needed to keep your dog clean. You’ll want to be sure to avoid excessive baths as this can lead to dry skin. Carefully trim nails as needed. If you are uncomfortable trimming your dog’s nails, ask your groomer or veterinarian to assist you.
Dental care is an important part of keeping Australian Shepherd toy’s healthy. Improper dental care can lead to heart issues, gum diseases, and decaying teeth. Brush your dog’s teeth at least once per week to help reduce plaque build-up.
Many Australian Shepherd toy will require a dental cleaning one to two times per year to maintain proper dental health. This cleaning should be done by a licensed veterinarian.
As you can see, there are many interesting things as well as facts about the Toy Australian Shepherds that you probably didn’t know yet. We’ve just told you the most important things that you need to know about this breed.
The blog posts concentrates on the Toy Australian Shepherds dog’s colors, coats as well as size. On top of that, we have provided you with the dog’s grooming & care tips. Here, we’ve provided you with everything that you need to know about the breed.
Even though the Toy Australian Shepherd is lesser known, they’re just as adorable and more beneficial for smaller homes and families!